Groove Pancreatitis

Excerpt

Groove pancreatitis is a unique clinical condition. It is defined as chronic segmental pancreatitis involving the duodenum and pancreas. The inflammation is seen in the anatomical area between the head of the pancreas, the medial wall of the second part of the duodenum, and the common bile duct.

The term cystic dystrophy of the heterotopic pancreas or duodenal dystrophy was first reported by French authors, Potet and Duclert in 1970. The term 'Rinnenpankreatitis' was described in 1973 by a German physician, Becker. However, in 1982, Stole et al. described groove pancreatitis. It has been used as a broad term and includes para-duodenal pancreatitis, cystic dystrophy of the heterotopic pancreas, periampullary duodenal wall cyst, and pancreatic hamartoma of the duodenum.

Pathogenesis involves fibrosis in the anatomical region in the para-duodenal tunnel, leading to altered pancreatic secretions and pancreatitis. Stole et al. classified grove pancreatitis into two forms, pure and segmental. The inflammation in the pure form involves the groove area only. In contrast, in the segmental form, the inflammation involves the groove area with extensive extension into the head of the pancreas.